One Dead After Modesto House Fire

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MODESTO--

A house fire along Goldie Avenue near Prescott Road killed a man and left six others homeless Monday morning.

"It was horrible, I was just screaming, 'Gary, Gary,'" homeowner Patriot Roberts said.

Roberts says he rented out rooms in his home to unemployed people at a lower cost than traditional apartments or living situations, adding he doesn't allow drugs or alcohol.

"I think one of my roommates may have started the fire, he has a mental illness and was talking to the neighbors earlier in the night, but I don' know for sure if it was him," Roberts, who legally changed his first name to "Patriot" after moving to the U.S. in the early 70's from British Guyana, told FOX40 Monday morning.

Fire investigators didn't have a cause at the time of the fire which began Sunday morning just before 5:30 a.m.